The Stuff Gadget Awards 2024: Best smartphones of the year

In a sea of smartphones!

Smartphones are like our digital soulmates—with us through thick and thin, from late-night doom scrolling to snapping pics of our brunch (and pretending it’s not for Instagram). This year’s lineup had us swiping right on some serious lookers, from budget champs to feature-packed folding wizards, ones with jaw-dropping cameras and those with batteries that don't ghost you by lunchtime. Our categories highlight the top performers in each segment – superior photography, innovative foldable tech, an affordable choice, and one that's an overall standout. We’ve crowned the absolute stars of 2024!

Meet the smartphones that made us swoon this year!

Best Smartphone of the Year 2024: Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 has truly set a new benchmark in the smartphone arena. Its sleek design, featuring flat edges and a range of vibrant colors, offers both aesthetic appeal and a comfortable grip. The 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display delivers exceptional brightness and clarity, making every interaction a visual delight. Under the hood, the Galaxy S24 is powered by Samsung’s Exynos 2400 processor, ensuring top tier performance for both everyday tasks and demanding applications. The camera system is a standout feature, with AI enhancements that make every shot look professional. Battery life has seen significant improvement, ensuring you stay powered throughout the day. Coupled with the smooth and intuitive One UI 6.0, the Galaxy S24 offers a user experience that’s hard to beat. In a sea of smartphones, the Galaxy S24 truly stands out, making other devices seem just average, even the ones from its own stable. 

HIGHLY COMMENDED

Vivo X200 Pro, Apple iPhone 16

ALSO SHORTLISTED

OnePlus 12

Mid-range phone of the year 2024: OnePlus 12R

The R series from OnePlus has been around for a while, but it’s really come into its element in 2024 with the OnePlus 12R. Featuring the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, plenty of RAM and storage, and the reliable and capable OxygenOS, the OnePlus 12R is solid value-for-money at under ₨50,000. The software and performance package are the big selling points here, but the OnePlus 12R is also backed up by a good camera setup, fast wired charging, and an excellent AMOLED display. Don’t expect class-leading camera capabilities, but it’s good enough for everyday photography in different conditions. It’s a reliable and hassle-free experience on the whole.

HIGHLY COMMENDED 

iQoo Neo 9 Pro, Motorola Edge 50 Pro 

ALSO SHORTLISTED

Nothing Phone 2a

Budget phone of the year 2024: CMF Phone 1 by Nothing

Despite its genuinely ‘budget’ asking price, we found this phone to be chock-full of character. That’s thanks to its stylishly utilitarian semi-modular design, with a twist-off accessory port that supports the bolting-on of kickstands, lanyards and more. It’s no slouch in the performance stakes either, with a particularly impressive 2400x1080 OLED HDR screen, more than passable 50MP main camera and 8GB of RAM. Thanks, perhaps, to the modest power requirements of its Dimensity 7300 chipset, the CMF Phone 1’s battery life is also excellent.

HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Poco X6 Neo, OnePlus Nord CE4

ALSO SHORTLISTED 

Infinix GT20 Pro

Folding phone of the year 2024: Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a shape-shifting masterpiece that’ll make you ditch your boring slab for good. Unfold an 8in, tablet-sized inner screen for epic viewing, while the 6.3in cover screen handles everyday tasks like a champ. The aspect ratio of the cover screen makes it perfectly adept at being a flagship level smartphone through the day but switch to a Jumbotron when called for. Google’s AI is the secret sauce. “Made You Look” corrals wandering eyes in photos, “Best Take” nails the perfect shot, and “Reimagine” lets you swap backgrounds with a tap. Plus, with a 5x telephoto lens and macro capabilities, this phone has serious photography chops. The price? Steep. But with 2TB of cloud storage, a lightning-fast Tensor G4 chip, and a battery that lasts all day, you’re getting a whole lot of bang for your buck. So ditch the flat and embrace the fold. This phone is so good, it’ll make you say, “Samsung who?”

HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Vivo X Fold 3 ProSamsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Camera phone of the year 2024: Vivo X200 Pro

The Vivo X200 Pro is an impressive flagship smartphone that excels in multiple areas, making it a solid choice for power users and photography enthusiasts alike. Its premium design is durable and stylish, but the camera system is its crown jewel. The X200 Pro comes with India’s first and biggest 200MP ZEISS APO Telephoto Camera with Bionic Spectrum 3.0, Optical precision calibration, a New GLC Coating and Super Blue Glass. The Vivo X200 Pro isn’t just flexing the camera as a headline feature—it’s turning it into a tool that redefines smartphone photography. Additionally, the advanced V3+ imaging chip enhances computational photography, enabling features like 4K HDR Cinematic Portrait Video and superior nightscape capture. Whether you’re shooting in bright daylight or low-light conditions, the X200 Pro consistently delivers stunning, true-to-life images, making it a standout choice for photography enthusiasts.contenders.

HIGHLY COMMENDED 

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max, Xiaomi 14 Ultra

ALSO SHORTLISTED 

Samsung S24 Ultra, Google Pixel 9 Pro XL